Around 3,000 people attend the Culinary Institute of America, a institution based in Hyde Park, N.Y. This report is based on the answers of Culinary Institute of America graduates who responded to PayScale's salary questionnaire.

Industry

Professionally, the food service industry, the hotel industry, and the travel and hospitality services industry are popular business areas among the Culinary Institute of America alumni. The most popular professional field seems to be the restaurant industry. Former Culinary Institute of America students do not typically enter the bakery industry; in fact, less than five percent of graduates find work in this area, making it the least likely field for this group to enter. The average starting salary for a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America is around $52K.

Gender

Male graduates of Culinary Institute of America out-earn their female counterparts significantly, earning an average of $59K versus about $48K for women.

Jobs

The biggest paychecks among Culinary Institute of America alumni are earned by Food and Beverage Directors — these former students make a median salary of $75K per year. The next biggest paychecks go to Executive Chefs ($61K) and Chef de Cuisines (approximately $58K). Pastry Chefs wrap up the bottom of the pay scale, earning $38K.

Locations

Boston, Mass. is filled with Culinary Institute of America grads. The top-paying city popular with Culinary Institute of America alumni is New York, N.Y., which offers a median salary of $75K. On the other end, Culinary Institute of America grads flock to Seattle, Wash., which actually offers the weakest median salary of $44K. Alumni express interest in Dallas, Texas and Washington, DC as well.

Degree Major

With a median annual earnings of approximately $80K per year, Culinary Institute of America grads who have a Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts are the best paid among the alumni population. A Bachelor's Degree, Pastry & Culinary Arts offers the lowest median annual financial reward ($33K).

Skills

Many former Culinary Institute of America students are familiar with Food Preparation, and just over two-fifths of grads move on to positions where this experience is utilized. Knowledge of Budget Management seems to be related to bigger paychecks; in fact, skilled alumni bring in salaries that are 27 percent more than their former classmates' salaries (around $66K). Operations Management, Inventory Management, and People Management are among other dominant skills.

Benefits and Perks

A lucky minority (about one-third of alumni) are fortunate enough to be compensated for vacation while just one-fifth of alumni get sick time. The larger part of survey participants set aside retirement funds in an employer-sponsored 401(k). More than half of alums receive health insurance, and just over half of the former students get dental coverage. Culinary Institute of America alumni are also on the receiving end of life insurance, free drinks, a company-subsidized cell phone, and tuition reimbursement.

Related Schools

Among alumni of similar schools, Pacific Oaks College grads (who make an average of about $52K) earn salaries most similar to Culinary Institute of America alumni. Other schools similar to Culinary Institute of America include Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, the United States Sports Academy, and Pardee RAND Graduate School.